1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wind farm comprising at least two wind turbines and in particular to an offshore wind farm.
2. Description of the Related Art
The wind turbines in wind farms are spaced from one another at such distances that any collision of blades is securely avoided even when the wind turns direction, and the effects of one wind turbine on another as a result of changing air flow conditions are kept as small as possible. The distance between wind turbines is dependent on the radius of the circle swept by the rotor of a wind turbine and, with rotor diameters in excess of 100 m now possible at the current state of technological development, the distance between wind turbines will increase still further due to the even larger dimensions of new wind turbines.
Depending on location and size, each wind turbine requires maintenance and the elimination of any malfunctions that may arise. To do this, personnel and material must be transported to the wind turbine.
It is relatively easy to bring personnel and material to every wind turbine on land-based wind farms, whereas in the case of offshore wind farms this involves much greater effort and expense. The process can be simplified by bringing people and goods, such as tools, spare parts, etc. to one place only, rather than having to call at each separate wind turbine on a wind farm.
The problem which then arises is that of distributing landed goods, or generally of transporting goods and/or people between the wind turbines of a wind farm, and particularly of an offshore wind farm.
Based on the premise that a wind farm has a central landing place where all goods and persons arrive or depart, the latter must accordingly be transported between the separate wind turbines of the wind farm.
A characteristic of offshore wind farms is that the weather there is always rougher than on land. Winds can blow obstructed and quickly reach high speeds.
Furthermore, waves of greater or lesser height must be expected at all times. Therefore, transporting goods and ferrying people to the separate wind turbines is not only unpleasant in many cases, but may even involve a considerable degree of risk.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a wind farm in which transportation between the separate wind turbines can be carried out safely and securely.